Never Giving In
by touchingthesky1999
Summary: "Sometimes first impressions can, well, give someone the wrong impression. And, to be honest, I'm not very good at first impressions. " This is the story of Cato, and how sometimes things are not always what they seem. His own tale crosses with the paths of Areda, Lily, Carter, and Clove. My first Fanfic, so hope you enjoy! Please rate and tell me what you think! T for violence
1. Chapter 1

.Chapter One.

Sometimes first impressions can, well, give someone the wrong impression. And, to be honest, I'm not very good at first impressions. I always end up intimidating anyone I have interest in befriending. I guess that's what happens if you've always been taught that the only way to succeed in life is with brutal force. And it's hard to live in a family where the topic remains always: the Hunger Games.

Cato Hartley first won the Hunger Games when he was fourteen. From then on, he went to establish the Academy, where he trained teenagers who would then volunteer for the games once properly prepared, earning riches and glory for our district. At first the Academy was kept secret, but eventually every child in District 2 was vying for a spot in this exclusive school. My parents included. My mother; victor of the 43rd games, and my father, who never competed but always longed to call a house in Victors Village his own.

I was pretty much born wielding a sword. My father enrolled all of us in the Academy; Carter, Lily, and I. Carter won the 72nd games. I'm supposed to win these games. And Lily was meant to win the 78th.

"Cato, focus, you aren't focusing!" Briar calls out to me. I fall to the ground and pant before standing up again. The simulation is over. Briar glares at me from beneath his glasses as I jog in place in front of him.

"58 point 2 seconds! Is this some kind of a joke?! Your brother always completed the simulations in less than forty seconds."

"It was a harder one. The tree was at least 50 feet tall, and you know I'm not very good at climbing them in the first place."

"And what could have happened if another tribute was chasing you? I'm sure Carter would know that climbing a tree is vital in survival skills. And a sword won't save you if that tribute had a bow. Your brother ended a boy's life with a bow. If only you had half as much sense as he did, if only…" I begin to walk away before he finishes that sentence. I could never amount to anything Carter did. He won the games in six days. Killed almost half of all the tributes, and did it all alone. I am supposed to admire him. Look up to him. Be proud of him. But how I am to do any of this after what he did to her. To the only girl I'd ever loved. To Areda.

Briar follows me only to remind me that tomorrow I must volunteer. It is my last year. That I will bring shame to my family if I don't. All of this I am already aware of. I will win the games. I will please my family. And finally all of the pressure will go away. I just won't win the way that Carter did.


	2. Chapter 2

.Chapter 2.

Walking back from the Academy is always a chance for me to reflect on whatever is bothering me at that point in time. Right now all I can think of is Lily and Areda. Lily and Areda. Lily and Areda.

I run into Tex on the way home. He wishes me luck for tomorrow. Everyone in the district knows that I am going to volunteer. My father claimed my spot in these games from the moment I joined the Academy. Unlike in other districts, parents in District 2 can actually save a spot in the games for their child. They can always pull out, but you can bet that the moment someone does, the spot is lost again by early morning the next day. But the thing is, only the reaped tribute can choose whether or not they want to participate in the games or have the volunteer take his or her place. Of course not many dare to do so, either they are too scared to go into the games or their parents don't want to risk excommunication with the rest of the district.

I can barely make it through dinner. An extravagant pre-reaping meal of chicken and lemon sauce with fresh bread. Delicious, but my thoughts are on anything but the decadent dish. Carter visits us with his new wife Poppy, and I ignore him all throughout the family's discussion about whether or not he should apply to become a peacekeeper. I finish and request for permission to go back to the training arena before bed. Poppy suggests Carter comes with me to prepare me before the games. I silently curse her, but my father is pleased with the idea.

"An excellent suggestion, Cato will need the practice and who better to help him then a previous victor!" Carter smiles conceitedly. I glare at him and stand up to leave. I storm out the back door, and begin to run. I don't want him to catch up with me.

But my brother is prepared, and reaches me in what seems like seconds. He tries to make idle chat, and I listen but never reply. When we finally reach the arena, he turns off in the opposite direction.

"Hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna get a drink from the liquor's. Come and get me when you're finished," he tells me. Of course I couldn't care less, but I nod and enter the arena.

I walk up to the counter and request a training room. I am given a key to Room B203. Second level. Each glass wall lets me see what others are doing, there is a woman lifting weights, a boy slashing at a dummy, and in room B202 across from my own training area is Clove. Her dark brown hair is tied in a ponytail behind her ears. It reminds me of Areda. She quickly launches five knives at the target. Head. Chest. Stomach. Neck. And, finally, heart. Each one sticks to the perfect bulls-eye. I've tried knife throwing, but Briar tells me my sport is close combat. Wrestling, swordplay, and the headlock.

I slide the key over a censor bar and gain access to my training room. I try out some new techniques with the sword, but find they all bore me.

"You left the door unlocked. I thought you might want some company. You looked a little lonely." I turn to see Clove standing by the entryway. She sits down beside me and pulls out a knife. Then, with a flick of her wrist, it reaches out and strikes the dummy. I look up in awe.

"How do you do that?" I ask.

"Do what? Hit the target every time? It's easy. Areda taught me. Well before she, um," I flinch, and she seems to notice.

"Sorry 'bout that. I should have known better than to mention her."

"It's fine. She's your sister. You can talk about her if you want."

"No. I don't want to. It makes you uncomfortable." She looks up, straight into my eyes and stares at me for a moment.

"Do you think you'll ever love anyone else?" she asks. This baffles me. Why would she want to know that? I don't know how to answer.

"I don't know. She was really…different. She was just…so real. Does that make sense? Like she didn't let anyone change her."

"You're different too, Cato. Everyone expects so much of you, they push you so much. You act like you should be an arrogant, obnoxious jerk, but you're not. Why don't you show people the real you?"

"Briar says never to tell anyone too much about yourself. They can always stab you in the back," I tell her.

"I know you don't believe that. You're not like the others…the other kids from the Academy I mean…"

"My family. They want me to be a winner. I won't get that by being touchy-feely around everyone. I was named after Cato Harley and that's what's expected of me. To be a fighter, and bring pride to my parents."

"So you're only touchy-feely around certain people? Like me and Areda?"

"Only you two. Areda because she was the only one who deserved to see the real me. And you because you knew me like that, before the Academy, before the fighting, before the training."

"So all you see me as…is her little sister?" I pause.

"No. You and Areda are similar. You understand what it's like to have to be under all this pressure. You understand but…" but before I can finish speaking, Clove presses her lips to mine. She kisses me lightly and then walks over to the door.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to keep all these feelings held inside, before I might never see you again." My mouth opens to say something, but she closes the door and leaves. And I am sat here, processing what just happened, and find myself hoping for the first time in years that I will kiss this girl again.


	3. Chapter 3

.Chapter Three.

That night, I dream of many things. I see Lily, ripped from the crowd on reaping day, her name selected from the ball. Telling the volunteer, no. Our father saying she must go and win, or we shall be shamed forever. Tears. And finally, the night she died in the games, a mere twelve year old, the bitter cold freezing her to death. My father only bothered about the fact his reputation as a family full of victors had been corrupted.

I see Areda, chosen the same year as my brother. Carter killing her ten minutes into the games, at the Cornucopia. The girl he knew I loved, dead because he refused to ally with her. Carter winning. Telling me she had to go or he would have gone instead. My knowing I would rather lose my selfish brother than my only true friend. Who had only just become more than that.

But mostly, I see Clove. Running through the streets with Areda and me as children. Starting at the Academy and becoming one of the best students. Becoming my new best friend. Understanding me almost as well as Areda. Kissing her. And one thing I know for certain is when I return from the games, I will find Clove. I will try to mend my shattered heart with the only true remedy for such pain. The love of another.


	4. Chapter 4

.Chapter 4.

Reaping day. Possibly my final day here in District 2. My mother dresses me in my best trousers and a clean white top. When I take a glance in the mirror I look even stronger than I did before, very intimidating.

My family walks in a row to the Justice building where the reaping shall commence at 2:00. I walk over to the rows and stand beside a tall boy with a thin build. He wouldn't last a minute in the games. I bet he's glad that pretty much every year there's a volunteer. In poor districts like ten, twelve, and eleven, the drawing is random. No one knows who is going in. It is seen as a death sentence, not an opportunity. It's so strange how we as District Two can have much different views from everyone else in Panem. Well, excluding District 1 and the occasional tribute from 4. They typically love the games just as much as we do.

Finally, Rasha Kahn steps out of the justice building. I almost have to stare away from the podium, because the ridiculous outfit she's wearing is bright neon orange. Her hair is in a large poof on top of her head, dyed a bright yellow. And her skin is unnaturally pale white. It makes her look like a giant road sign. She smiles broadly at us through blood red lips.

"Welcome, District 2 to the reaping of the 74th annual Hunger Games!" A few parents cheer out in the audience. Rasha grins and gestures out to the peace keepers, who then begin to roll the same boring film they always show us. I am agitated, just wanting to get this over with.

"Very well, then! On to the most important part of the day, the reaping!" She walks over to the girls' ball first.

"Ladies first!" she digs her hand into the glass sphere and pulls out a white slip. Then, reading clearly she announces, "Clove Warnon!" My hands shake immediately, as I see Clove step up to the stage. She looks beautiful in a lilac purple strapless ensemble, but it looks quite familiar. I realize it is the exact same dress Areda wore on the day she was reaped. Quite bad luck if you think about it to wear a dress with that many bad memories almost seemingly sewn into its seams.

"And now, for the boys!" Rasha won't take volunteers until the end. I hope, then pray that a girl will volunteer for Clove. There must be someone at the Academy who would want to take the chances. Rasha pulls the boy's name up and a scrawny thirteen year old steps up to the stage. Lucky he won't be in the games; after all, I'll be volunteering.

And then it hits me. No one will volunteer for Clove if they know I'm volunteering. I'm vicious, I've beat them all in training. They'll know I can do it again if need-be to save my life. My suspicions are only confirmed when it is silent after Rasha asks for volunteers on the girl's side. She is now calls out for male volunteers and my heart is racing. I can't do it. I can't kill Clove. My parents stare at me anxiously from the side. "Go on," my dad mouths. I sigh and call out. "I volunteer as tribute!"


End file.
